Denver Broncos / NFL

Broncos-Patriots NFL playoff match-up already on the front burner for some

Peyton Manning met the Patriots in October and might again in January. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

Today's question about the Broncos comes from Dileep Rao:

Q: In the game earlier this year, the Patriots stymied the Broncos run defense with fast no-huddle looks and a fast-break running game that moved the ball with ease and set up the passing game in textbook fashion. Is the team significantly different now? Can the Broncos mount a serious challenge to (Bill) Belichick and (Tom) Brady? Also, the offense seems to have cooled a bit. What's to be expected in the playoffs, particularly if the Patriots, as expected, come to town?

A: Dileep, in that Oct. 7 game — the Patriots won 31-21 — the tempo of the Patriots offense was certainly an issue, but the biggest item may have been the matchup the Patriots created with speed.

By moving their no-huddle to warp speed, often with just one-word play calls, the Patriots didn't allow the Broncos to do what they like to do on defense — liberally sub out packages according to down and distance.

The Patriots put the Broncos in a nickel look (five defensive backs) and ran the offense quickly so the Broncos had to stay in the nickel, with the same personnel, often through entire Patriots' drives. And Belichick's offense then pounded away at the Broncos nickel package in the run game.

The Patriots rushed for 251 yards in that game with 140 of that coming against the Broncos nickel package. Since then, the Broncos have varied things in the nickel to counteract an offense's ability to check to a run against a defensive formation most often used against three-wide receiver sets.

Denver now uses D.J. Williams and Wesley Woodyard at the two linebacker spots in the nickel in shorter down-and-distance situations when a run is more likely. At 240 pounds, Williams gives them a little more bulk in the middle of the field in those situations.

Williams, because of two suspensions, was not available in that game. They also have Keith Brooking in the nickel, alongside Woodyard, on a smattering of snaps for the same purpose.

Demaryius Thomas makes a first down catch in the second half of the Broncos-Patriots game earlier this season. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

The Patriots had 22 first-down rushing attempts against the Broncos nickel package in the game, 14 in the first half alone. So, it was certainly a match-up they believed they could exploit and they did with repeated success.

The Broncos have tackled better over the last two months than they did in that game and they are far more comfortable in Jack Del Rio's scheme than they were then, particularly when they make their run fits. Also, if the teams play in Denver, that automatically slows down an offense because of the noise, they can't get the play-calls to everyone in the formation so quickly.

So homefield advantage will affect the Patriots' ability to run no-huddle (and the Broncos, for that matter), if the teams end up playing in Foxborough, Mass., if the Broncos lose their regular-season finale.

The Broncos haven't lost in the 10 games since they faced the Patriots and just one team — the Chiefs, with 148 yards rushing on Nov. 25 — has rushed for more 90 yards in those 10 games. Five teams have rushed for 61 or fewer yards in that span.

Del Rio has also tinkered with the secondary at times in the base defense and specialty packages as well. He has rotated Jim Leonhard into the lineup, in place of Mike Adams at times, depending on the kind of down-and-distance the Broncos are facing.

Most personnel executives say the Broncos interior defensive linemen — Kevin Vickerson, Justin Bannan and Mitch Unrein — have played with more impact over much of the winning streak than they did early in the season.

As far as beating the Patriots, it's on opposing defenses to force them into field goals from time to time, because New England scores in buckets and they hang in with their three losses coming by, two, one and seven points.

Through the years Belichick has routinely played Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning with coverage-heavy schemes that often rushed four, three or even just two players at times. The idea has been to test Manning's patience and force him to throw to second, third, or even fourth options.

Defenses have blitzed Manning more as a Broncos quarterback than they did in his final two seasons as a starter in Indy, so Belichick would likely challenge the middle of the Broncos formation from time to time as well.

Belichick has always been one of the best at removing an offense's favorite things and forcing the ball other places. Often offenses simply can't match New England touchdown for touchdown with their second and third options.

The Patriots have scored at least 30 points in 10 games this season, topped 40 points five times and topped 50 twice.

The benchmark seems to be 30 points. The Patriots are 3-3 when "held" to 30 or fewer points. And only the Cardinals, back on Sept. 16 have held the Patriots to fewer than 20 points.

Lockheed says object part of 'sensor technology' testing that ended ThursdayWhat the heck is that thing? It's fair to assume that question was on the minds of many people who traveled along Colo. 128 south of Boulder this week if they happened to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, silver projectile perched alongside the highway and pointed north toward town.

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